Criteria for Participation in 2011 ACL

The AFC has released the criteria to enter the Champions League for the 2011 and 2012seasons, view at your own lesiure here:

http://www.the-afc.com/uploads/Documents/regulation/clubcriteria.pdf

Interesting to note that the AFC will not allow any game to be 'fixed' in the past three seasons, interesting criteria in deed.

As in the last assement done in 2008, it's interesting to note that promotion/relegation is required. It smacks me that Austalia don't fullfil this but still got entry.

Of course, each Member Association (MA) doesn't have to fullfil everything, they just have to score highly and then the AFC hand out the allocations.

For reference, the following nations have asked to participate:

East Asia

Already participating: Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea
Keen to participate: Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

West Asia

Already participating: Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Uzbekistan
Keen to participate: Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Tajikistan, Yemen

Nations already participating will get allocations, but may lose or gain more 'slots'.

Nations keen to participate will have to be approved, something i can't see the likes of Pakistan, Yemen and Myanmar achieving.

To add more to criteria, the AFC has also stated that in 2012, will include having a league that has at least 12 teams in the top division, no fewer than 33 matches a season per team, and a minimum of 20 players under professional contracts at each club.

So we need a 33 game season!!! Time to expand the league or reduce and play each other 3 or 4 times.